GENEVA, Switzerland (FIBA World Championship) - A record number of over 1.900 media from more than 60 countries has been accredited for the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan. This number does not include the Host Broadcast staff and the total number of accredited media is expected to reach 2.500 for the coverage of the most prestigious basketball title in the world.
This number represents a new record for FIBA competition and demonstrates the huge interest not only from media of the 24 participating countries, but also from countries and regions from all over the world.
“The growth of media interest reflects the increased attention in international basketball across the world,” said FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann.
The biggest media contingents outside Japan come from Argentina, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Nigeria, USA, Turkey, Serbia & Montenegro, Spain, and Venezuela.
1994 FIBA World Championship - Accredited Media: 1.150 from 49 countries
1998 FIBA World Championship - Accredited Media: 1.400 from 51 countries
2002 FIBA World Championship - Accredited Media: 1.200 from 52 countries
FIBA World Championship - One World - One Title: Event Outline
The FIBA World Championship is played every 4 years and determines the best basketball nation of the world. The first World Championship was played in 1950 in Argentina.
The 2006 edition will be played in Japan from 19th August until 3rd September in five different cities. FIBA has increased the number of teams playing at the FIBA World Championship from 16 to 24 teams because of the increased level of basketball around the world and the increasing number of competitive teams at the highest level.
|
Group A
Sendai |
Group B
Hiroshima |
Group C
Hamamatsu |
Group D
Sapporo |
|
Argentina
Venezuela
France
Serbia & Montenegro
Lebanon
Nigeria |
Spain
Panama
Germany
Japan
New Zealand
Angola |
Lithuania
Brazil
Greece
Turkey
Australia
Qatar |
USA
Puerto Rico
Slovenia
Italy
P.R. of China
Senegal |
The teams will play against each other in the preliminary phase in four groups of 6 teams. The 4 top teams from each group will then qualify directly for the Eighth-Finals, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Finals. All the games from the Eighth-Finals to the Finals will be played on a one-game elimination basis in the city of Saitama.
The 2006 FIBA World Champion will qualify automatically for the 2008 Olympic Basketball Tournament for Men in Beijing.
FIBA
